Strawberry Sugar, Cinnamon Spice
by 1000GreenSun
Summary: A collection of wide-ranging Reds oneshots that capture the complexity of Brick and Blossom's relationship. My Not-So-True Love: Brick needs a fake girlfriend and who better to fill the role than his favorite neighbor, Blossom, the Ice Princess? As they embark on a false whirlwind, the redheads sure that they'll never fall for each other. A little too sure, that is.
1. It's Not So Bad Being Good

**Disclaimer:** Nope, don't own anything.

**Author's Note:** I've hit a little block in Serendipitous Scandal, so I thought I'd explore some new plot bunnies in the mean time.

For this specific oneshot, I wanted to explore a different PPG theme. All my fics so far focus on dual identities and the Reds having to hide their real identity from each other, whether it's professional like in TMSA, superpower like in Two Lives, or spy like in Serendipitous Scandal.

So in this oneshot, the Reds are perfectly aware of each other, but come to some new understandings concerning "good" and "bad". I've set this in a no-powers, regular-AU, so Brick's not evil, just "bad".

I got the idea from the cute little tumblr quote: "_Every girl wants a bad boy who's willing to be good just for her. Every boy wants a good girl who's willing to be bad just for him_". I thought it fit the Reds perfectly.

Anyways, this is a little taste of what my contest prize would be. A Reds oneshot, but the winner will be able to choose the premise, plot, whatever! It'll be completely up to you what you want, and I'll bring your idea to fanfiction through an awesome oneshot. **SO ENTER MY CONTEST!** Guidelines are up on my profile and you've got until July 15th. I haven't had a single entry yet, so there's not much competition so far. PM me if you have questions. I'll be sporadically available on the internet due to summer vacation, but I'll try to get back to you ASAP.

Enjoy! And knowing my overactive imagination, there'll be more fun Reds oneshots here soon! :)

...

Blossom frowned deeply as her pink eyes lingered on the sweaty, virile chauvinist she knew as Brick Jojo. On her way home from the library, she didn't mean to take the shortcut that went through the football field, but as she neared the area her grim look darkened. She really ought to pay more attention next time. Because there was nothing, no one else in the world she loathed more than Brick Jojo.

Her attention once again lost in her thoughts, the college senior slammed into something hard. Something warm. _Someone_ undeniably male. She felt taut pectorals and sweaty arms wrap around her and warmth crawl up her neck in embarrassment. She was the epitome of grace, and such clumsiness was completely unlike her. Swallowing her pride and biting her lip, the petite redhead looked up to apologize for her lapse in attention and balance but when her gaze locked onto to smirking crimson eyes her lips immediately grew downward.

"Blossy, this is a pleasant surprise," the odious quarterback grinned at her obvious discomfort in his arms. He had turned for a split second to call out to a fellow player when he felt a lithe, curvy body slam into his own. His arms worked by reflex as they gathered the voluptuous woman towards him and it wasn't until he caught her cold stare when he realized who she was.

In four years at Princeton, Brick had found a myriad of words to describe her... Pedantic. Cold. Haughty. Supercilious. Incorruptible. Righteous.

But never once had the word _sexy_ come to mind. Dressed in a pleated rose maxi skirt and flowy white top that hid her curves well, he would've never been privy to what they held within. But her every curve pressed up against him belied the truth. Her fiery copper locks and angry pink eyes only seemed to augment her appeal.

Unnerved by his treacherous thoughts, he quickly let go, hoping she'd tumble to the ground. But Blossom caught her balance easily and now two steps away from him, she could glare at him with more objectivity.

"I don't like to be manhandled, Brick," she said coldly.

He scoffed, "As if any man would _want _to handle you. And If I didn't know better, I'd say you were checking us football players out just now," he smirked.

Her coral orbs narrowed, "You're always so full of yourself."

"And you've always got a stick up your ass. What's new?" the taller redhead threw his head back as he took a swig of water, offering Blossom a golden view of his bobbing adam's apple. She loathed his complacent sense of masculinity. How he could have any woman he wanted for the night, only to discard her the next morning. Any woman except Blossom, that was.

"Considering you're _still _a horrible person, I'd say, not much," she replied tersely.

"You ought to lighten up, goody two-shoes. Getting laid might work wonders for you. If you could find someone willing to do it, that is," Brick chuckled.

Anger flashed in her pink eyes. It was irresponsible to solve every problem in the world with sex. She abhorred his subscription to that belief and loathed the actions he took to support it. He was a profligate- he drank, he gambled, he slept around. He toyed with women for his own amusement and then eagerly dumped her the minute he lost interest.

"You're disgusting Brick," her nose crinkled in incensed revulsion.

"One of my best qualities Pinky," he shrugged cockily. "You should try it some time when you're not busy saving orphans or feeding the poor," he spat.

"You make that sound like a bad thing," she narrowed her eyes. How dare he belittle her acts of humanity?

"You wouldn't know bad if it bit you in the ass," Brick snorted.

The petite redhead just glared at him furiously before storming off wordlessly, unable to put her indignation in words.

...

Biting her plump glossed lip, Blossom fleetingly wondered if she made the right decision that night. After her heated meeting with Brick, she left feeling uncharacteristically insecure. Excelling in academics, holding leadership positions in a plethora of university organizations and being an outstanding member of society were normally enough for Blossom. But that afternoon, Brick's words cut deep. She resented his carefree, reckless attitude and for once, she decided to give into the urge to try it.

As Blossom tugged on the hem of her sparkly magenta miniskirt, she sighed a breath of relief. One night of crazy partying and she could put these silly doubts to rest. In order to maintain her glittering reputation and remain a role model, the redhead had judiciously chosen to visit a club on the outskirts of town, far away from the university campus and the students who would immediately recognize her.

She took in a deep breath and exuded a confidence she didn't yet feel as she strode to the bar to the rhythm of her strappy ribbon-around heels. She flashed the bartender a dazzling smile and gracefully slid into a seat beside a promising potential dance partner.

...

Brick ran a hand through his perfectly disheveled auburn locks as he confidently strutted into the new club in town. He had grudgingly changed plans at the last minute when his regular hangout had been unexpectedly closed. Deciding he'd seen too much around the campus area, Brick decided to visit the new establishment in hopes of meeting some fresh blood.

Grinning and nodding at the people who flocked towards him, a glimmer of red caught the corner of his eye and the quarterback craned his neck to gain a better view. At the end of the bar stood the most perfect woman he'd ever seen in his life. Long, shiny copper locks, tight curves highlighted by a ruffled black spaghetti-strap tank and glittering pink skirt that revealed long, milky legs that stretched on for miles- she was the most amazing specimen of woman Brick had ever laid eyes on in his life.

At that moment, he knew he wanted her. He had to have her. There was no way he'd let such a beautiful woman escape his grasp. Smirking, he returned his attention back to the crowd of people gathered around him and casually took his goodbyes before he set out for his next conquest.

Turning towards the bar and assuming his lazy, magnetic smirk, Brick's eyes darkened to see that she had completely vanished.

...

Blossom rubbed her elbows as she looked at the skyline, her eyebrows crinkled and her smile long faded. She had escaped the massive horde of people in the club by escaping to the empty rooftop with an incredible view of the town. The crisp spring wind blew her auburn locks to the side and she drew her arms close around her to escape the chill.

Blossom sighed. This is what she wanted, right? She wanted one night where she could abandon her good-girl persona and engage in profligacy. She drank, she flirted, she danced... That's what people like Brick did every single night instead of studying at the library or volunteering at the shelter. She had an opportunity to be _bad_. Why couldn't she take it? Why didn't she feel the rush of adrenaline that she'd heard so much about and secretly longed for? Why didn't being bad feel as good as she thought it would?

She shook her head and let out the breath she forgot she was holding. She had to quit wallowing in self-pity if she wanted to experience life and do something completely un-Blossom-like. And she had a chance. The night wasn't over just yet.

Not by a long shot.

...

"I've been looking all over for you," a smooth voice rumbled from behind the scantily clad redhead.

Her eyebrows crinkled. Why did that voice sound familiar? She turned around to face the man who approached her when her eyes widened. "Brick!" she exclaimed in realization before whipping around to face him, coral orbs wide.

If he had to guess the identity of the mysteriously sublime girl he'd followed up to the club roof, Blossom Utonium would've been the very last person in the world he'd have thought of. She was an arrogant goody-two-shoes who never showed skin, let alone could even think about hanging out at a club like this. He felt his jaw drop and a strange swirl of emotions curled up within him. Shock, lust, curiosity... And something else he couldn't exactly name.

"What are you doing here?" she asked anxiously, her harried expression marring her porcelain face.

Brick shut his jaw, then opened his mouth to reply, "I think the better question is, what are _you _doing here? Shouldn't you be at the library studying for Keane's final tomorrow?" he questioned, still incredulous of Blossom's appearance at such an unholy establishment.

Her mouth twitched upwards in what was almost a smirk, "I didn't think you kept up with your classes, Brick."

"I don't," he grit his teeth, angered that she thought he was doing something good. He was a 4.0 student, but he took pains to hide his grades from his peers. If word got out that Brick Jojo studied and actually took his education seriously, his reputation would crumble and his fellow classmates would roast him alive. Especially Blossom. Hell, she'd lead the entire thing. He frowned, "But you never answered my question. What's a good little girl like you doing at a place like this?"

"Maybe I'm tired of being a good little girl," she answered quickly without thinking. Once the words escaped her mouth, she regretted them. She had told him too much.

"Oh, really?" he chuckled, taking a step closer to bridge the distance between the two. "I never would've guessed," he whispered, taking a lock of her perfectly curled hair in his fingers by reflex. He should've let go of her hair and made a bee-line back downstairs, but he felt an indelible tug towards her. He didn't want to leave.

Blossom was as surprised at his action as he was. What was Brick Jojo, the worst person she had ever met, doing right now? And why did she like talking to him, being so close to him? Why did she feel more excitement in the past few minutes when he had appeared than she had the entire night?

"What are you doing, Brick?" she murmured as his hands snaked around her dainty waist.

"Something I never thought I'd want to," he answered honestly as he pulled her close to him while they rocked to the muffled rhythm of music below. Blossom should've laughed at the absurdity of the situation, but she couldn't bring herself to extricate herself from Brick's arms. She was playing a dangerous game right now, but it felt too good for her to quit just yet.

Impulsively, she stood up on her toes and grabbed Brick's neck to kiss him. She felt her lips mold with his warm ones and was surprised when he deepened the kiss. She knew he knew what he was doing, but she was exactly the type of woman he wouldn't do it with. She eagerly complied and ran her hands through his copper locks and down his muscled torso.

She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her when he pulled back. Confused, Blossom looked into his dilated pupils, feeling arousal blanket her. Why had he stopped? Was she not good enough for him? A rush of cold air assaulted her as he took a step away.

"You need to go, Blossom," Brick said gravely, his mouth a grim line.

A familiar jolt of fury shot up in her. Brick Jojo could not dictate what she did! "I don't think so," she narrowed her eyes at his use of her actual name. He always had ridiculous pet names for her, but never had she heard him refer to her by her given appellation. A surge of confidence prompted her next comment, "Why'd you pull back, Brick? Chicken?" she taunted.

His eyes darkened at her and for the first time, Blossom felt herself quaking under his smoldering glare. "Damn it, woman. I'm trying to do the right thing here," he growled.

"The right thing?" Blossom murmured bemusedly as she took a step towards him to study his sudden change in behavior. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked, placing a hand on his forehead to check his temperature. It was blazing.

He swatted her arm away from him, keeping her at a distance. He couldn't let himself give into temptation. One kiss with her had inflamed passions he'd never felt in his life, but Blossom was too good for him. He couldn't hurt her like he hurt other women. She was different.

"Don't touch me," he scowled, trying to scare her off. At her vulnerable, wounded expression, Brick felt a piercing feeling stab him in the side. When had he started to care for her feelings? All of a sudden, why did he want to wipe the sadness from her eyes? Why did it matter to him? He wasn't supposed to give a damn. But now he did. "Blossom," he croaked. "Don't do this. I won't be able to stop myself if you come any closer." It came out like a plea.

At his words, her eyes lit up and she smiled a genuine smile. "I don't want you to stop, Brick," she whispered, taking a step towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Don't. Blossom, you're too good for this," he said weakly, completely undone by her radiating beauty and sacrosanct goodness.

"You're not as bad as you think you are, Brick. Not as bad as I _used_ to think you were," she murmured, her fingers grazing down his stubble. "Plus, it feels pretty good to be a little bad," she confessed as she kissed him once more.

And as he returned her kiss with plenty fervor, Brick had to concede that being good wasn't really all that bad either.

...

What'd you think? I hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! :)

And I hope you consider writing an entry for my contest! It'd mean the world to me!


	2. My Not So True Love, Part 1

**Contest Information:** WOW! This fandom is AMAZING. I threw the idea of a contest out there thinking I'd get two, maybe three entries and I got a whopping FOURTEEN! And better yet, I've seen a growth in the number of Reds fic overall in the past few weeks (anyone else see that?). That makes me so unbelievably happy.

The poll will go up on my profile tomorrow (since the contest doesn't actually end until after today is over), and will be open until Friday, July 20th. Support your favorite fics by voting! Since there are so many entries, you'll be able to vote for up to THREE choices! Your votes, combined with my own opinion, will determine the winner of the Summer Reds Contest.

Anyways, since there's so many submissions, I compiled a list (ordered by date of entry) and a short summary of each. All of these should be under my favorites, if you can't find one. All of the authors put in a lot of work and I really appreciate it. So show them some love with lots of reviews!

1. **Change** by **marisa lee**: Blossom's life has fallen into a rut; she follows the same, boring routine each day. But a trip to the library and a chance encounter with a certain bad-boy-turned-good might provide the solution she's been waiting for.

2.** It's Summer** by **NAWHdinosaurs**: Blossom's peaceful summer nap is ever so rudely interrupted by everyone's favorite Rowdyruff. He starts to annoy her, but as they learn more about each other, she finds that maybe Brick isn't so bad after all.

3. **Cherry Ice Cream** by **Pear-Shaped**: Brick challenges Blossom to a sand-castle building competition. Blossom beats him and eagerly awaits her prize as Brick grumbles about her choice in flavor. But he quickly realizes that cherry ice cream has its perks.

4.** The Hope of Trying to Read a Novel** by **Katty Taco Kisses**: Blossom is more than content with reading her exciting new novel when Brick decides to interrupt her peace. After a while, they're surprised to find out that they can enjoy each other's company as well.

5. **Midnight Feature** by **iamthecreator**: Blossom's in the theater, watching a romance movie all by her lonesome. Brick decides to give her company, but in the process, finds out a few little-known facts about the pink puff. And Blossom might just learn some things from him too.

6. **The Love Bug Knows No Boundaries** by** megmeg999**: Brick and Blossom are the best of friends, but as time progresses, they find themselves slowing falling in love. The summer 'love bug' serves as a catalyst for their new relationship and fluff ensues! (Ch. 9 of **A year with the Powerpuff Girls **by ******megmeg999**)

7.** Integral Tranquilit**y by **FuschiaFire**: Blossom has to leave Townsville on official Powerpuff duty and her absence leaves a hole in Brick's heart. While she's gone, he comes to terms with his real feelings towards her and greets her ardently upon her return.

8. **Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Red Polka Dot Bikini** by **LoverofZIM**: As Blossom flees the unwanted attention she's receiving from her new swimsuit, she bumps into her old enemy, Brick. Turns out he's changed, and it might not be for the better. A shocking twist ensues.

9. **Hold On** by **amythist7**: Blossom secretly loves racing and some bad luck has her in the front seat of the town's most notorious racer, Brick. She revels in the thrill of the race at his side, but a grave misunderstanding spells danger for Blossom. Good thing Brick's looking out for her!

10. **A Simple Summer Job** by** TheAceAssassin**: Brick visits Blossom at the exact same time each day to pester her at her summer job. She finds herself enjoying his carefully-timed visits and before she knows it, she finds herself entangled in his arms.

11. **Hot Summer Love Story** by **kuku88**: Blossom is earnestly trying to finish her summer novel when Brick interrupts. He pesters her and in frustration, she sends him away. But as she finishes the book, she finds herself changing her mind about him.

12. **Summer** by **Izzy's Frizzies**: Summer's a special time of year for Brick, considering it contains all of his milestones with Blossom. This is a sweet little look into their lives, and how the progression of time has changed the Reds' relationship.

13. **Chicken Sandwich** by** Sorry I Just Did**: Brick and Blossom reflect on the day at the beach two years before when they finally realized their feelings for each other. A game of chicken and a demand for a sandwich catalyzed their courtship, as the title suggests.

14. **A Wet Summer Day **by **Mysterious Writer100**: Brick takes Blossom out to the park on a sweltering summer day, and the heat drives them to a water balloon fight! Fluff and giggles ensue as the two redheads go after each other!

...

Now, onto my fic!

...

**Author's Note:** This piece was meant to be a oneshot, but I'm splitting it into 2 parts so y'all don't have to wait for the finished product. Props to **amythist7** for my fabulous title!

In this oneshot, I'm kind of exploring a different Blossom- a more reserved, prideful, dry Blossom that embodies cold perfection. I'm naturally a warmer person and more inclined to put that trait into my characters, but I wanted to consciously reduce that. I feel like Bubbles is the kinder, sweeter one so this might be a more accurate characterization of the redhead. Let me know what you think!

As per my new personal rule, all long and juicy reviews will be rewarded with a sneak peek of a new work! I can't promise what it'll be of since I'm not sure what I'm writing next (another installation of SS, or the remainder of this oneshot, or a new oneshot entirely!), but I can promise that it'll be fabulous! ...Hopefully.

In other news, is anyone really excited that we can see how many faves/alerts every story has nowadays? I think it's pretty nifty.

Anyways, enjooy! :)

...

He ran a hand through his messy copper locks and stifled a yawn as he felt it arise. Rolling over to his side, he groaned when he saw the blonde he had entertained the night before still sound asleep in his king-sized bed. Craning his neck to get a look at the time, the sleepy redhead unceremoniously stepped out of bed, grabbed his shirt off the floor and left the bedroom with the slam of a shutting door.

As he walked out of his luxury apartment and into the hallway, the chiseled redhead pulled on his shirt. As much as he loved displaying his washboard abs, his crotchety elderly neighbors never appreciated them enough to spare him the lecture on public decency. He smirked at the fact that he had only one neighbor on the entire floor who had the patience for him.

His phone buzzed and he pulled the Android device from his pocket, only to frown at a notification. He had three new voicemails and he cringed when he saw who they were from. Groaning, he quickly typed in his password and listened to the messages in order to erase them.

_"Hi, Brick! It's Aunt Ima! I met the most darling girl at my salon yesterday- you just HAVE to meet her! She's the sweetest thing and I know she'd be perfect for you. I'll bring her to Boomer's reception, how about that? She can't wait to meet you, and I'm sure you can't wait to meet her either! Call me back, sweetie. Kisses!"_

_"Brick, it's your Aunt Femme. You know I don't condone this bachelor lifestyle of yours. You need to settle down already and I have a few decent women in mind for you. I'm expecting you to return my call soon. I better see you next weekend at the wedding."_

_"Good morning, dear. It's Aunt Sara. I just wanted to check in on you! I know you're a grown boy and everything, but sometimes I worry about you. It must be terribly lonely living by yourself. Have you considered looking into a long-term relationship? I know some very wonderful young ladies you'd love; I'll have to introduce you to them at Boomer's wedding next Saturday! Anyways, see you soon. Lots of love!"_

Brick cursed under his breath as he slid his finger across the screen to delete all three messages. His three aunts were always interfering with his life by trying to set him up with someone. He was thirty and completely satisfied with his life; he didn't need three crazy old ladies constantly messing with that.

Brick frowned. They just wanted to see him settled. If they thought he had a girlfriend, then maybe they would leave him alone. ...But where could Brick find a girlfriend at such short notice?

A solution to his conundrum materialized as he reached a familiar pink door. He smirked. Jabbing the doorbell, he crossed his arms and waited for his favorite neighbor to greet him at her door.

...

Blossom hummed to herself as she stepped out of her warm shower, with a plush towel wrapped snugly around her. It was early morning, but she had just returned home from her long shift at the hospital and was in desperate need of hot water. She rubbed the steam from her wall-length mirror and smiled once she saw her bare complexion, devoid of her normal make-up and surgical mask. She had sharp features and piercing pink eyes that fit her face perfectly.

Pulling out her ceramic hair dryer, she tilted her head to the side as she began to comb through her wet locks and dry them until they shone. Though her hair was long- almost half-way down her back- it was on the thin side, so it dried rather quickly. She was about to step into a fresh outfit when the familiar buzz of her doorbell sounded. She glanced at the clock and rolled her eyes knowingly before she stepped out of her bathroom to answer the door.

She knew the sensible thing would've been to change out of her towel and into appropriate clothing before receiving guests, but there was really no point in making him wait. Last time she forced him to be patient, she almost had to replace her doorbell battery and nearly her ears after he kept buzzing the damn ringer.

With the click of a lock, she pulled the door open and raised an inquiring eyebrow at the man behind it, though she herself had no questions.

"Heya, neighbor."

Blossom simpered, "A regular morning for you, Brick?" she asked rhetorically as she turned away once he entered.

It had been months since they had fallen into this regular routine: Brick would spend his mornings hiding out at Blossom's place while he waited for his overnight guest to vacate his premises. She called it callous and cowardly, but he found it an economic solution to a constant problem. It prevented him from women getting overly attached to him and if one was especially clingy, all he had to do was imply he was in a relationship with Blossom before his female friend from the night before took the hint.

She pretended to be his girlfriend every now and then, and the two redheads found themselves falling into a comfortable lull marked by bantering, dry humor and mutual understanding. Brick got an easy escape from a multitude of awkward situations and Blossom got... Well, Brick just assumed she received the gift of normal human interaction, something the workaholic rarely experienced.

Her back towards him, she missed the appreciative glance he sent as his eyes grazed over each of her curves attentively. He had never looked at her like that before. But then again, he had never seen her in nothing but a towel until that morning.

"Is that coffee I smell, Blossy?" Brick inquired as he plopped down on her crimson sofa.

"Help yourself. It should be ready by now," she replied, making her way back to her bedroom.

"The towel's a good look on you, Pinky," he called out to her as she slammed her bedroom door shut, muffling her undoubtedly sarcastic response.

Brick chuckled in response as he made his way to the kitchen island and pulled out two mugs from her cabinet before filling them with coffee. In the duration of their odd friendship, he had learned quite a few things about Blossom- including that she took her coffee with milk and way too much sugar. He stirred their drinks and placed them on the table, then casually leaned back in her plush chair. Brick craned his neck to get a glimpse of his apartment from her open door to see if he was safe to return.

He wasn't.

"You're in a good mood today," Blossom commented dryly as she returned, clad in a pink floral sundress. Her shimmering auburn locks were pulled up in a high ponytail and she wore a dash of mascara and lipgloss, giving her a fresh look that hid her sleepless night at the hospital.

"Good morning to you too, beautiful," Brick replied jovially as he handed her a pink mug with her coffee.

Blossom simpered, "Okay, now I know something's wrong," she narrowed her eyes as she carefully took a sample of the concoction he had handed her. Surprised that he had nailed her taste perfectly, the petite redhead's eyes widened before she continued drinking.

"Nothing's wrong... Per se," Brick prevaricated, drawing out his words. Blossom quirked an eyebrow in interest. "Unless you're curious, Ice Princess."

"How_ do_ you manage to concoct such brilliant nicknames?" she asked sardonically. Not that she'd ever admit how perfectly he'd nailed her personality with the last one. Blossom always kept a strong handle on her emotions, rarely deviating from the mask of dry wit, sarcasm and haughty pride she used to shield herself against the world.

"It's a gift," he shrugged. "Now... How would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asked slowly, his mouth curving into a smirk.

Blossom nearly dropped her cup of coffee. Quickly catching herself, she hid her shock at his bizarre question and managed to calmly ask, "What?" Her voice came out dangerously low.

"I... need a girlfriend for my brother's wedding next week. My family won't leave me alone until they think I'm settled down," he explained.

"So you're going to lie to your concerned family for your own selfish interests?" Blossom asked. Without giving him time to respond, she shrugged, "Seems reasonable," she added dryly.

"I'm glad you see my point," Brick grinned.

Blossom frowned, "Well, as much I'd _love _to, I can't. My best friend's getting married next Saturday. I'm the maid of honor," she let some pride slip into her words. She didn't have a lot of friends, but the ones that she had, she held very dear.

Brick cursed. That was the same date as Boomer's wedding. "That's damn shame. I bet Boomer would've loved to meet you. Bubbles, too." He lied. He didn't know if either of them would've liked Blossom. But she seemed nice enough for it to seem logical.

She had gone white though. "Bubbles and Boomer?"

Brick nodded soundlessly.

"Shit," she muttered audibly.

Brick immediately perked up, "You aren't best friends with a Bubbles by any chance, are you?" he smirked. Blossom sent him a withering glare. "Perfect. That means we're both going to the wedding anyways. Now, what do you say?" he sent her a dazzling, irresistible grin.

Instead of answering his question, she posed a new one. "Out of all the women who fall at your feet, why pick me, the only one who hasn't?"

"They'd all get silly notions of love and romance and shit," Brick said casually. "You're cool, Blossy. You don't care about that stuff. I mean, you're pretty much one of us guys," he replied proudly, as if he was paying her the highest compliment.

She narrowed her eyes, "Words every girl loves to hear," she said wryly.

"So, is that a yes?" Brick raised an eyebrow challengingly.

_No. Never. Not in a million years. I'd never go near a womanizer of your stature._

"Fine," she found herself saying instead.

...

"_You never have time for me, anymore_," a pouty voice said forlornly on the other line.

"I'm so sorry, Bubbles. All of these extra shifts at Towns Gen have me swamped," Blossom sighed as she walked up the stairs to her top-floor apartment. There wasn't anything wrong with the elevator, but one of the reasons she was in such good shape was that she climbed 20 flights of stairs on a normal basis.

"_It's okay... You're still coming to the dress fitting tomorrow, right?_"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied honestly.

"_Yay! Do you have a date for the wedding? Oh, what I am asking- of course you don't. You never do, Blossom. Good thing I know the perfect gentleman and he's totally-_"

Blossom interrupted her friend's excited flurry, "Actually, I do have a date," she corrected. If she was going to fake being Brick's girlfriend, she might as well get something out of it as well.

"_Really?_" her blonde friend asked incredulously. "_Who?_"

"My boyfriend," the redhead answered simply.

"_You have a_ boyfriend_?_" Bubbles exclaimed, nearly deafening Blossom on the other side of the line. "_Why didn't you tell me?_" she cried.

An inkling of guilt stabbed her. She shouldn't lie to her best friend, one of the only people in the world who cared so much about her. "I... um, well, it happened so quickly," she explained. "I kept meaning to tell you, but between all the wedding prep, I didn't get the chance."

"_Oh my goodness, Blossom! I am so sorry! That is so like me- totally ignoring you so I can talk about my own life. I can't believe how thoughtless I am!_" Bubbles berated herself.

Blossom felt the stab of guilt sink in deeper, "No, don't feel bad, Bubbles. It was my fault," she said softly, biting her lip.

"_Okay... So how long have you been together?_" she asked curiously.

Blossom had no idea. They needed to make up a fake backstory if they were going to fool anyone. "A little while now," she replied vaguely.

"_Well, at least tell me this, is he cute? Is it anyone I know?_" the blue-eyed blonde asked eagerly.

The petite redhead gave a sigh of relief. Finally, something she could be honest about. "Yeah, actually. He's pretty hot," she answered, but paused when she realized what she had just said. Brick wasn't attractive; he was just a callous womanizer who was way too familiar with her apartment. Where had that bizarre thought come from? She cleared her throat, "But yes, you know him. He's Boomer's brother, Brick."

_"...Brick?_" Blossom could hear friend's jaw drop over the line. "_You're _not_ serious._"

"I am," she suddenly felt defensive. "What's wrong with him?"

"_Everything! Oh, Blossom! He's a terrible person! You should've seen the way he flirted with every single woman at my engagement dinner. And Boomer's birthday party. And our two year anniversary celebration!_" the blonde cried.

_Why didn't he didn't flirt with me?_

Blossom immediately shook the traitorous thought away and tuned back into her friend's ranting.

"He's such a... Such a... Such a reprobate!" she finally exclaimed.

Blossom's brow furrowed quizzically at her friend's odd choice in vocabulary, "He's really not like that anymore," she said, suddenly feeling defensive. She couldn't stand to hear Bubbles malign her boyfriend. Her _pretend_ boyfriend, she quickly amended.

"_He's not the type that stays faithful,_" the blonde said gently. "_Blossom, I just can't stand to see you hurt._"

"Don't worry. He can't hurt me," she said softly. But as the words left her mouth, she questioned them. She wasn't invincible, and if strange emotions kept accosting her every time she had a conversation about him... She preferred not to finish that thought.

"_Alright,_" Bubbles sighed in acquiescence. "_I believe you. And I'm happy that you've finally found someone. But be careful, alright?_"

"Right. Thanks, Bubbles. I'll see you tomorrow!" she ended the call and shoved her Android in one of the many pockets of her pale pink scrub pants.

She had a lot of things she needed to figure out. And soon.

Blossom sighed as she finally reached the 20th floor and stepping into the hallway, she made a sharp turn on impulse. She could very well address a few important matters right this moment. It was still early, and Brick may not have left for work just yet. She rapped her knuckles against his dark wood door and stepped back.

"Blossy? To what do I owe this honor?" the familiar redhead grinned as he pulled open his door.

Blossom swallowed as she noticed he hadn't buttoned his crisp white shirt yet, giving her full access to his chiseled abs. They were a tad distracting, to put it lightly. "Do you always answer your door half-naked?" she asked sharply as she stepped in. She'd never visited his apartment before and found herself rather surprised by his tidy den. The decor reeked of masculinity, but had an air of class as well.

"Says the woman who wore nothing but a towel when she invited me in yesterday," Brick smirked as he turned towards a wall mirror to admire his reflection. He started to fasten the buttons. Blossom looked on with a wave of... Disappointment? She shook her head. It was ridiculous to think such ludicrous thoughts.

"We need to talk about a few things," the petite redhead started firmly.

Brick quirked an eyebrow as he made eye contact with her through the mirror, "When do those words ever bode well for anyone?" he asked dryly.

She ignored him and continued, "If we're to be in a fake relationship, I'd like to lay down a few ground rules."

"Such as...?" Brick looked at her lazily as he clasped the last button.

"Well, if we were really dating, you wouldn't be sleeping with every woman in Townsville, for starters."

That caught Brick's attention and he turned around sharply to face her. "Excuse me?" His glare would have withered a lesser soul.

"I can't date you, or have people believe that I'm dating you," she quickly amended, "If you can't stay faithful," Blossom explained, recalling her earlier conversation with Bubbles.

"Except we're not actually sleeping together," Brick pointed out, and his observation sent a burst of heat down her spine. Blossom felt the sudden desire to change that fact, but her sense quickly squashed the bizarre impulse.

"It doesn't matter," her voice sounded much stronger than she felt. "You're not sleeping with anyone until we're done with this charade. And that's final. I'm not going to let people think I can't keep my boyfriend happy." She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

"I'm sure you could if you put your mind to it," he grinned wolfishly at her as he grabbed his scarlet tie and placed it around his collar.

Blossom glared. "There's another matter as well. We need to get our facts straight by- What are you doing?" she gazed at him carefully as he began knotting his tie.

"Riding a unicycle," he deadpanned. Brick looked at her, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You're not tying that right," Blossom shook her head. The perfectionist within her couldn't resist closing the gap between them so that she could rectify that fact. She removed the tie and carefully repositioned it across his broad shoulders and her dexterous fingers quickly began to work.

"I've been tying my own ties since I-" his resistance melted the moment her fingers made contact with his warm skin right above his topmost button. It inflamed him and all cogent thoughts left Brick.

Blossom wasn't untouched by the contact either and her gaze quickly fell from his deep crimson eyes as she finished the knot. "There. That's how it's done," she said weakly, stepping away. She looked up and forced a smile.

"Thank you," Brick's voice was deep and rumbled, sending shivers down Blossom's spine.

She quickly lost her resolve and turned away, "Well, I'll let you get back to your things," she said rapidly, making a bee-line for his door, completely forgetting about the issues she meant to address earlier.

She was out of hearing range soon, so she couldn't hear his reply. But she wouldn't have been able to hear it anyways over the sound of her beating heart. Blossom bit her lip and entered her own apartment, sighing a breath of relief as she leaned against her door.

...

So remember... Long, juicy reviews equal a sneak peek of my next update! So don't be afraid to leave me one! :D

And voting starts tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the contest!


	3. My Not So True Love, Part 2

**Contest Information:** The results are IN! I loved all of the entries so much that I couldn't singlehandedly make the decision. Originally, the poll was just supposed to be half the points, but I turned it into 75 percent, making my opinion only a quarter of the judging. So this fandom pretty much picked the winners. And since there were so many entries, I'll be awarding first place with a oneshot and second and third places with a drabble.

Thank you so much to everyone for entering and voting and helping make this contest a success. Even if you didn't win, I want you to know that you are fabulous and have helped make this fandom a Redder place. Now, without further ado... The winners of the Summer Reds Contest!

1st place goes to **amythist7** for **Hold On**!

In 2nd place is **NAWHdinosaurs** for** It's Summer**!

3rd place is awarded to** FuschiaFire** for **Integral Tranquility**!

And while I unfortunately have no time to award fourth place, I thought I'd include it since there was a 3-way tie between **Izzy's Frizzies**, **iamthecreator**, and **marisa lee**.

Congratulations to the winners!

Again, thank you so much. I hope everyone had fun! Congrats if you won! And if you didn't, thanks for entering and please don't be disheartened- you're a wonderful author nonetheless.

...

**Author's Note: **I wanna wish **Yellow-Lamborghini** a very happy (belated!) birthday! I hope you likey! :)

And with that said, here's the other half of My Not-So-True Love! Read, review, enjoy!

...

Blossom stifled a yawn as she stepped into Publix, wishing she bothered to regularly stock her fridge with food. She was accustomed to eating her meals at the hospital cafeteria since she spent most all of her time there, and she was never actually around her apartment during mealtime. But with her best friend's wedding looming in a week, the redhead decided to be a good maid of honor and so she dipped into her unusually large bank of vacation days and took a one-week respite from work.

And not that she'd ever admit it, but the workaholic needed a break from her job too. She let out a reluctant smile at the thought of spending her next seven days making Bubbles' big day absolutely perfect. The redhead had actually just arrived from a dress fitting with the bride-to-be and was on her way home when she remembered she needed to buy groceries.

She sighed. The dress fitting went perfectly, with only minor alternations needed on a few bridesmaids, but for some reason, she wasn't content. Blossom racked her brain for a reason, but she couldn't find one.

_Well_, there was onepossibility, but she'd rather not think about him. It couldn't be fake-boyfriend Brick that was bothering her. She barely saw him at the fitting earlier, so why would that upset her? She blanched when she could finally name the niggling emotion- disappointment. She wasn't regretting not getting to see more of him, was she?

And as if her thoughts alone conjured his presence, Blossom spotted a head full of copper locks walking out of the frozen food aisle. She shook her head, hoping that he was just a figment of her imagination, but she had no luck. The petite redhead quickly turned away, hoping that he hadn't caught her gaze. She didn't want to converse with him if he kept springing odd, foreign emotions on her. Unfortunately, she had no such luck.

"Blossy! Long time no see," a familiar voice chuckled. He had seen her just an hour ago. The gall of that man.

Blossom deflated at being caught, but a sliver of her couldn't resist feeling excitement at seeing him once again. She immediately squashed that traitorous part of her mind. She spun around and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Brick, always a pleasure," she said sardonically.

"Of course," he smirked.

Blossom's eyes bore through him as she carefully studied him, trying to find some sort answer to her strange feelings as of late. Her thoughts came to a screeching halt once she saw what he held in his hands.

"Oh no," she shook her head slowly, but menacingly. "No boyfriend of mine, fake or not, eats frozen pizza rolls for dinners," she declared, her voice imperial and commanding.

Brick quirked an eyebrow, "No one eats them frozen, Pinky. You gotta warm them up," he explained as if he was taking to a five year old. She didn't appreciate the condescension.

"Do you have any idea how terrible those are for your health?" the petite redhead placed an imperious hand on her hip. Her glare would've been much more effective if he didn't tower almost a foot over her.

"I think I'll take my chances, doc," the bigger redhead winked. "But I appreciate the concern," he turned to walk to the registers, but Blossom caught the frozen box from his grasp before he could leave.

"No," she said simply as she casually tossed it into the freezer beside them.

Brick spun around, furious, and sent her a withering look, "You're a bossy little thing, aren't you?" His words came out more amused than annoyed.

The pink-eyed woman smiled victoriously, "That's the first thing you ought to know about me, Brick. I'm _always_ in control," she held her head up haughtily.

He smirked and took a step towards her, narrowing the distance between them. His arms were crossed defiantly. "Oh, really?" he challenged, his warm breath encompassing her as his large hands made their way to the small of her back. He pulled her towards him. "_Always_ in control, really?"

Blossom sent him an angry glare to hide the powerful effect he had on her body, "Get your hands off of me, Brick," she grit her teeth.

"Not until you give me back my dinner, babe," he grinned, enjoying her discomfort. He enjoyed the feel of her lithe form wrapped in his arms too, but he wasn't about to admit that fact.

"I don't think so," Blossom refused to budge on the issue, but she tried to wiggle out of his clutches nonetheless.

"How about you make me dinner instead?" Brick suggested huskily, his head lowered to hers so that she heard his whisper clearly.

Blossom was livid. "If you think for one second that I-"

"Blossom! Brick!" a perky voice exclaimed.

The redheads turned at the same exact time and their unusually-colored eyes widened. Brick dropped removed his hands and Blossom hastily untangled herself from his embrace. A fiery blush was crawling up her neck as she made eye contact with her friend.

"Bubbles... Boomer..." she said awkwardly, greeting the two blonds who had walked into the frozen food aisle only to see her wrapped up in Brick's arms.

Bubbles giggled, "Blossom, I don't think I ever thought I'd catch you making out in the middle of a grocery store!" She covered her mouth to hide her titters.

Blossom frowned at her friend's assumption, "We weren't-"

"-Planning to let it go that far, but frozen foods just have a certain effect on her. And I can never deny a woman in need," Brick interrupted smoothly with an explanation, turning Blossom a shade of bright scarlet. His comment earned a crack of a smile from Boomer and raucous laughter from Bubbles.

Blossom sent him a cutting glance before faking a smile, "Oh, Brick," she rolled her eyes playfully, resting her head on his chest. She wasn't happy with him, but she didn't want to let her blissfully affianced friend know that. What was the harm in letting Bubbles think she was in a convivial relationship for once?

"What brings you two here?" Boomer asked the redheads, though he sneaked a longing glance at his soon-to-be bride.

"We were just doing a little bit of grocery shopping together," Blossom smiled, looking up at Brick, "Grocery shopping's always been one of Brick's favorite past times, right sweetie?" she asked, her voice cloyingly sweet.

Brick glared, but wouldn't argue with her in front of the blonds, "You know me so well," he grit his teeth.

"Wow," Boomer's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation of his chauvinistic friend, "You certainly bring out a new side of him," he told Blossom. She grinned in response.

"Do you two have plans for tonight?" Bubbles asked eagerly.

Blossom bit her lip, wondering how she should reply since her best friend was the world's most prolific double-dater. There wasn't much she loved more than a double date. Too bad there wasn't much Blossom hated more than one.

"Yeah," she sighed sadly, offering a commiserating look to the blonde, "I promised Brick I'd cook dinner for us tonight. Sorry."

Brick's eyebrow raised in amusement, "We have _plans_, unfortunately," he agreed, unable to keep his tone somber.

Blossom, who had finally controlled her blushing, turned a faint shade of crimson at the way he said the word '_plans_'.

"Aww," Bubbles pouted. "That's too bad."

"Terrible," Boomer shook his head in agreement, though he was glad the redheads wouldn't spend the evening with them. He wanted to have _plans_ with his fiancee as well. "I think we should give them some privacy now, dear. Let them get to their plans," he suggested, as he led her out of the aisle. Bubbles yelled a goodbye to her friend before she was out of hearing range as Brick waved the blonds away.

Blossom let out a sigh of relief and she stepped away from Brick quickly, albeit reluctantly. "Pretending we're together is..." _Fun. Exhilarating. A lot easier than I thought it'd be_. "Quite distasteful," she lied.

"Agreed," Brick nodded, not wanting to spend more time on the matter. He quirked an eyebrow, "I believe you've promised me dinner?"

...

Later that evening, Blossom lightly rapped her knuckles against the dark wood of Brick's apartment door for the second time in her life. It was promptly answered by pseudo suitor.

"Good evening," he grinned as he held the door open with a mocking flourish. "Welcome to my humble abode, pretend-girlfriend-slash-actual-cook."

"Oh, please. You're making me miss the usual nicknames," she said sardonically as she stepped inside. "Please tell me you put those groceries in the fridge," she said, her voice a little weak as she stifled another yawn.

"Do you take me for a _complete _moron?" Brick chuckled as he darted his glance to his spotless kitchen. Turning his gaze back to her, he softened. He frowned, wondering if she looked that exhausted earlier at the grocery store. He was upset to find that he couldn't remember.

Her eyes were red around the rims from lack of sleep. She was wearing sweats and her characteristically shiny locks were pulled up in a messy bun. It was then Brick noticed how breathtakingly beautiful Blossom really was.

And how tired she was. He was about to force her to cook him dinner. Brick wasn't that big of an ass.

"You look tired," Brick commented carefully, unnerved by his traitorous thoughts.

"Is that supposed to be the nice way of telling me I look like shit?" Blossom deadpanned, crossing her arms.

_You couldn't look like shit. You look gorgeous. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known._

"Yeah, I guess it is," Brick lied, quickly turning away so she couldn't read his features. "Tell you what. I'm feeling generous. How about you rest, and let me cook dinner?" he suggested, his back still towards her as he searched a cabinet for an imaginary ingredient he didn't need. Anything to keep him from having to face her and the bizarre feelings she stirred within him.

The other redhead simply snorted in response, "You? Cook dinner? The man who was about to poison himself with microwave pizza rolls?" she scoffed.

He felt oddly defensive, "Hey, just because I _can _cook doesn't mean I always want to. But now I want to. So give yourself a break." _You deserve one, Blossom. _He felt those words unsaid.

Blossom softened at his sincerity. Biting her lip, she sighed, "Are you sure? I can still help," she said, feeling awkward. No man had ever offered to cook for her before. She felt touched.

"That's real nice of you, Blossy. But I won't need it," he smiled. Not a smirk, not a complacent grin, but a genuine smile. It sent tremors down her spine.

Blossom had to step away before she melted right on his kitchen floor.

...

Brick returned to his den an hour later, smugly rubbing his palms together upon creating a culinary masterpiece. He smirked at the thought of Blossom's reaction to his brilliant talent.

He froze in place once he saw her asleep on his couch. Brick swallowed. Hard. He thought she looked beautiful earlier, but she was an angel when she slept. Her messy auburn locks framed her serene porcelain features perfectly. Her hands were tucked neatly under her head and she had pulled her legs close to her in the most adorable position.

He shook his head. Blossom wasn't _adorable_. She was a prim little prude that liked to give him a hard time. Brick cringed at his choice of words. He was having a really hard time right then. He couldn't shake the image of a sleepy Blossom sprawled on his mattress, her fiery locks spread against his pillows, his blanket barely covering her marble skin, her arms wrapped around-

Brick muttered a curse and briefly wondered if he had the time to take a quick cold shower.

"Brick?" a husky voice murmured. He cursed again as his body reacted to her. "What time is it?" Her voice was heavy with sleep as she sat up and stretched. Her coral tank tightened against her taut curves and she let out a soft groan.

"Dinner time," he said a little too quickly. He turned away from her and swiftly entered his kitchen, where their meal awaited them. He took his seat before she entered, successfully avoiding an awkward realization of what her sleepy form did to his virility.

"Smells nice," the petite redhead commented, her eyes wide in surprise as she stepped into the kitchen, smoothing her messy hair. She looked at the table and sent Brick a dazzling smile, "I never would've guessed you could cook, Brick," she conceded as she sat across from him.

He looked back at her warmly and their eyes were locked in a powerful moment. Blossom had to look away before he sent her ridiculous emotions on another rollercoaster ride. Brick shook his head before shoving his fork in his plate of pasta and taking a mouth full.

Blossom took a delicate bite and immediately frowned.

Brick quirked an eyebrow at her reaction, "Not good enough for you, Blossy?"

"No. Actually, it's _too _good. How much butter and salt did you put in here?" she asked suspiciously.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he chuckled. She glared. Looking back up at her, "So, tell me about yourself." He looked at her expectantly.

The smaller redhead rolled her eyes. "I'm not an interesting person. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" she inquired, batting her eyelashes with an innocence they both knew she didn't have.

Brick shrugged, "If you say so. I don't work as hard as I should, but I still make plenty of money. I appreciate beautiful women." That comment earned another eye roll from the other redhead. "And I like my family, most of the time. But I probably don't spend enough time with them," he tried to joke, but his words came out much more seriously than he had intended.

Blossom's brow furrowed at his last remark, "Why not?"

"It's not that I don't like them... It's just that they drive me crazy," he replied simply. "I mean, we're not a big family, just my brothers and my aunts and me. The guys are pretty chill, even though they're always banking on me to bail them out of their messes. It's just my aunts that are overbearing." Brick stopped his flow of thought when he realized how long it had been since he'd openly talked about his family with anyone.

"Maybe they just care about you?" Blossom pointed out as she took another bite. "Not that I'd understand why they would," she added, with a small smile to let him know her comment was in jest.

For some reason, that little smile sent his heart fluttering. He violently shook off the odd reaction, "Yeah, probably. But they're always hounding me to do stuff. 'Get a job, Brick', 'Get a house, Brick', 'Get a girlfriend, Brick'," he shuddered.

She nodded carefully as she took in his words. She understood. That's why he started this whole charade- to placate his aunts.

"Actually," Brick started thoughtfully, "You'd probably like them. You're a whole lot like them."

"I can't tell if that's a compliment or not," Blossom quirked an eyebrow in question.

Brick was about to spurt a sarcastic reply, but he suddenly stopped himself. After a few moments, he replied, "Yeah. It is."

...

Blossom furiously flipped through wedding boards on Pinterest, taking careful notes of the cutest and most innovative ideas as she juggled four phone calls between Bubbles' baker, caterer, decorator, and photographer. With only five days until her best friend's wedding, Blossom was doing everything humanly possible to ensure that it turned out perfect.

The blonds had already picked out their cake and Blossom had just called the baker to confirm it would be needed by Saturday afternoon. The caterer needed to be reminded that Bubbles the vegetarian required a strict no-meat reception while the decorator was regaling Blossom with her lavish ideas for wedding decor. The photographer had called to cancel, but Blossom had masterfully convinced him not to bail on the wedding of the season. And all the while, Blossom was attacking Pinterest for bachelorette party ideas.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she disconnected her last phone call and closed out of three web browsers. She had accomplished a lot that morning, and gave herself a mental pat on the back for her good work. Almost all of the fine details had been taken care of and it wasn't 9 in the morning.

The redhead hopped off her couch, placing her laptop and phones on the coffee table as she stepped into the kitchen for a much needed burst of caffeine. From the corner of her, she caught sight of movement in Brick's apartment through her large windows and longing lurched within her.

She had no business getting feelings for Brick, but somehow during the course of their false whirlwind, they appeared out of the blue. She shook her head, mentally berating herself. Brick saw this whole thing as a game, and once he showed her off like a fine piece of cattle to his well-meaning but overbearing aunts, he'd discard her like one of his nightly conquests. She shuddered. Bubbles had warned her that she'd get hurt and she grudgingly had to agree with the blonde. She shouldn't let Brick hurt her. How had she let those carefully constructed walls around her heart crumble so easily around him? It was foolish. She couldn't get attached to Brick anymore than she already was.

_But_, she bit her lip as she craned her neck to get a better view of Brick's apartment, _there wasn't harm in enjoying their ruse for as long as it lasted._

...

"Aunt Sara? Are you there?" Brick asked into his cellphone. He shook his head. Since when did one of his aunts ever hang up on _him_?

Just then, his doorbell sounded, causing the redhead's brow to furrow. He was about to leave for work in a few minutes; he couldn't imagine who'd be at his door this time of day.

"Heya, neighbor."

He swallowed as he faced his unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome, guest. He had spent the better part of the last three days trying to forget how perfectly delicate Blossom was and what a wonderful girlfriend she'd make some lucky guy, and of course she had to land on his doorstep once he was starting to forget those feelings.

"Blossy, come in," he said carefully, motioning her to enter. She didn't frequent his place often, but he couldn't deny that he was happy to see her. "What brings you here?"

"I've got a naked guy back at my place, so I was hoping I could just hang out here until he leaves," she answered casually, having enough gall to flick her gaze down to her perfectly manicured fingers. She looked up at Brick wolfishly to gauge his reaction.

If he was still drinking his morning coffee, he would've spit it all over his ivory tiled floor. Not out of anger, that Blossom was having flings outside of their relationship (their fake relationship, he later amended), but jealousy. The idea that Blossom was sleeping with someone else sent incendiary sparks through his blood. He fumed.

Brick was too furious to see that she was holding in giggles, and too confused at his own reaction to her comment to realize that she had been mocking him.

"I'm just kidding, Brick," Blossom laughed. She paused, "Is it really that unbelievable that some guy would want to sleep with me?" she asked, her tone light. But she had seen his aghast reaction and couldn't help but feel hurt.

Another pause.

"Oh," he said dumbly, as her words registered. Suddenly, he looked up at her bemused, "I never said that. A guy would be crazy not to want you. You're-"

His cellphone buzzed, bringing him back to reality and he hastily answered it to prevent himself from finishing his thought. She'd probably laugh if she knew how he felt about her. Blossom was too good for a scoundrel like Brick and he was fully aware of that fact. For some unfathomable reason, she had agreed to play along with his deception, but Brick wasn't stupid enough to believe that she'd actually date a guy like him in real life.

He swallowed, trying to forget those morose thoughts. As long as they were pretending to date, he might as well make the most of her company. For the moment though, he turned his attention to his caller.

"Oh, hey Aunt Sara," he greeted her on the other line.

_"Hi, Brick. Sorry about that. I've got a new phone and I'm still not sure how to work it just yet."_

"No problem," he shrugged, "Is there anything else you needed, or...?"

_"No, I just wanted to remind you about our lunch tomorrow,"_ she said cheerily, _"We'll need to discuss your wedding date," _she added seriously.

Brick grinned. "My wedding date?" He looked straight at Blossom, "I thought I told you people that I've got a girlfriend."

Sara sighed, _"That was last week, dear. We know you well enough to know that she's not still around."_

"Actually, Aunt Sara, she's right here," he smirked at the petite redhead. "Have some faith in me," he added dryly.

_"You're still dating the same girl?_" his aunt asked incredulously. After a pause, _"Wow. I'm impressed. Why don't you bring her to lunch tomorrow?"_

"She's probably too busy for that stuff-" Brick started to prevaricated, but was cut off.

"What stuff?" Blossom interrupted curiously.

_"Wonderful, so it's settled,"_ Sara continued on the other end. _"We can't wait to meet her tomorrow!"_ A click signaled that the conversation was over.

Brick just put his phone down and shook his head gravely, "I am so sorry, Pinky. My aunts want to meet you tomorrow." He said the words as if he were giving her a death sentence.

Blossom grinned, "Why would they? I can't wait to meet them!"

...

"So let me see if I've got this straight- your Aunt Ima owns a beauty salon and she tries to set you up with her favorite clients, your Aunt Femme is a divorce attorney and she tries to set you up with her favorite divorcees and your Aunt Sara is actually Mayor Bellum and tries to set you up with her favorite concerned citizens," Blossom prattled, looking at Brick expectantly once she finished.

He blinked owlishly, "Wow, that's perfect." _You're perfect_, he wanted to add.

"I try," she said wryly, pulling off her tortoise shell sunglasses and tossing them into her purse as they approached the quaint cafe.

Brick, ever the gentleman, reached for the door and held it open for his lady, who simpered in response. Once they were inside the dimly lit restaurant, three middle-aged women quickly caught their attention and waved them over. Brick frowned once he realized that his three aunts were alone. Normally his brothers attended these required luncheons as well and served as buffers between Brick and the matriarchs. He gulped. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Blossom smiled at the three women as she carefully studied the three.

The first was a brunette with shiny ebony locks and dark-lined eyes. She wore a heavy layer of make-up, but it actually suited her features well, and a tight black corset that showcased creamy cleavage. Blossom knew the woman had to be well in her forties, but she still oozed sensuality. She looked at Blossom curiously.

The next aunt was a blonde who kept her lips in a tight frown. She had thick blonde hair rolled in a tight bun and sharp features that could easily be called beautiful if the didn't keep such a severe demeanor. She was dressed in a conservative blue blouse and wore a strand of white pearls, her posture erect. She peered at Blossom suspiciously.

And between the two sat a voluptuous redhead with gently curled auburn locks. She had large eyes and a ruby red smile that could light up the entire room. She held herself with pride and unlike the others, one who masked her age and the other who tried to accentuate it, she looked perfectly at ease with herself. She wore a crimson dress that brought out her strong features and teased a tiny bit of cleavage. She gazed at Blossom warmly.

"Aunt Ima, Aunt Femme, Aunt Sara," Brick grinned and nodded at each one, "I'd like you to meet my beautiful girlfriend, Blossom." He looked at her, "And Blossom, my wonderful aunts."

The petite redhead pinkened at the compliment, but she smiled and said graciously, "It's wonderful to finally meet you! I've heard so much about you three!"

"Only good things, I hope," Aunt Femme said sardonically.

"Of course," Brick smirked as pulled out a chair for Blossom.

She looked up at him, amused at his thoughtfulness, before she took her seat across from the three aunts. "Thank you," she murmured.

"So, Blossom," Aunt Ima placed her hands below her chin, "How did such a pretty girl end up with our little Brickie?"

She contained the urge to curse. Her mind so wrapped up in wedding preparations, the thought of getting their facts straight completely abandoned her. Hopefully she and Brick wouldn't muddle things up too much this luncheon.

"We're actually neighbors," the pink-eyed woman responded. "We saw each other a lot around the building and one thing just lead to another!" She sent Brick a knowing look with a hint of a smile.

"How long have you two been dating?" Aunt Femme questioned as she sipped on her water.

"Two weeks."

"Four months."

Brick muttered something under his breath before he cleared his throat, "We've been together for four months, but started using labels two weeks ago," he explained rather smoothly.

Aunt Femme eyed him carefully before she nodded in satisfaction. "Alright. And what do you do for a living, Blossom?" she eyed her carefully.

Blossom almost let out a sigh of relief at the easy question, "I'm a doctor. I spend all of my time at the hospital," she answered.

"Which means I don't get to see nearly as much of her as I'd like," Brick joked, casually sliding his arm around her. Blossom fleetingly wondered when he'd become so good at playing the perfect boyfriend.

"I'm a workaholic, guilty as charged!" Blossom let out a small laugh, surprised at how comfortable she was being open with complete strangers. She had always been the reserved type, but there was something about being around Brick that made warmed her. The redhead bit her lip, reminding herself of the futility that came with thinking those thoughts. Still, she rested her head against Brick's shoulder.

"Brick, you've done well for yourself," Aunt Ima grinned as she traced the rim of her wine glass. "I never thought you'd end up with such a sweet, beautiful, intelligent girl. You always seemed to go for the easier types."

Aunt Sara's eyes widened at the mention of Brick's history with looser women and quickly turned to gauge Blossom's reaction. She surprised to see the petite redhead laughing.

"He did, didn't he?" Blossom laughed. She sent him a mock-chastising look, "Brick, I'm so glad you've changed your ways," she said, trying to stay serious. A undertone of warmth had crept through her words.

"Me too," he murmured, sending shivers down her spine.

Aunt Sara softened at the moment between the so-called couple, "I'm so glad you two found one other," she said softly. "It's clear that you really care about each other... But I still have one question," her gentle brows crinkled. She turned towards Blossom, "Why? You seem much too sensible to be with Brick, and Brick, Ima's right. What made you change all of a sudden?"

Blossom was too flustered by the older redhead's earlier observations to answer, so Brick was forced to respond.

"I guess I just got tired of casual relationships and wanted something meaningful for once. And I was just incredibly lucky to living next to someone as amazing as Blossom." He looked over at her with warm crimson eyes that seared through her.

If Blossom didn't know him better, she would have completely believed him. He looked so sincere and his heated gaze made her want to run into his arms and never let go. Blossom bitterly reminded herself that her silly feelings were just that- silly. Brick was putting on a front for his aunts and it would be wise of her to remember that.

"Yeah," she murmured, unable to trust herself to say much more at the moment, due to her swirling emotions.

The remainder of the afternoon consisted of frivolous small talk, delectable dishes and lots of laughter. As the luncheon came to a close, each aunt left one and one and only the two redheads remained. Brick walked Blossom back to their building, taking the elevator up to their floor (Blossom decided to be sensible that once; plus, she was wearing four-inch pumps) and escorted her to her door.

"Thank you so much for today, Blossom," Brick shook his head, finally locking eyes with the other redhead. "I really appreciate you doing this," he added gratefully.

"It's no big deal," Blossom grumbled, looking down. She wanted to be thanked if she was having such a nice time. It just served to remind her what Brick thought of her and their little falsehood. She glanced back up at him, forcing herself not to ponder what the heated look in his crimson eyes meant.

"Just a few more days," he tried to placate her.

_I'm not exactly looking forward to the end of this, Brick. _

"Me neither," he murmured.

Blossom's eyes widened. Did she really say that out loud? She cleared her throat, "It hasn't been all bad, Brick," she said shakily.

And before she could stop herself, she had stood on the tips of her toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Brick saw her moving closer to him and in an attempt to avert her kiss and further inflame his passion for her, he moved his head. But he miscalculated and before they knew it, they had kissed, their lips melding against each other.

It was soft, gentle, and sweet and completely unlike any kiss Brick had had before. He didn't want the moment to end, but Blossom quickly pulled away and turned around. She was flushed and wanted much more, but she couldn't face Brick. Not after such a perfect kiss.

She mumbled a goodbye before jamming her key in the door and slipping inside. She shut the door and leaned against it, finally brave enough to take a breath. She shut her eyes, trying to stop the flood of thoughts attacking her at that moment. Muttering a curse, she plopped down on her couch and threw her head into wedding planning papers. Literally.

And Brick was left in the hallway, dazed and for once in his life, at a complete loss of what to do.

...

On the day of the wedding, Blossom was in a tizzy. She had already visited the church to make sure the decorations were perfect (and they were), stopped by the caterer to make sure the food would be ready in time (and it would be) and went to Bubbles' place to make sure she looked drop dead gorgeous for the big day (and she did- she always does).

With less than an hour before the ceremony, the redhead had rushed back to her apartment to throw on her dress, make herself look presentable and return to the church before the guests started arriving. She tossed her purse and keys onto her coffee table, grabbed the garment bag hanging outside of her bedroom and tore it open. She stripped down to her strapless push-up bra and silky no-show panties in record time and slipped the cerulean bridesmaid dress over her head. She reached behind her back to fasten the zipper, but it was right outside of her reach. She stretched her nimble fingers, arched her back and contorted her body in attempt to zip the dress, but the pesky zipper evaded her grasp.

"Shit," Blossom cursed, unable to zip up her dress. She took in a deep breath and-

"Blossy, you here?" a familiar voice asked after a quick knock on the door. Footsteps followed.

Blossom's eyes widened to the size of dishplates when she realized Brick was inside her apartment and she was standing in the middle of it, with nothing but an unzipped dress on. She felt the room grow warmer. She craned her neck around to see where he was, "In here, Brick!" she called out, against her better judgment.

He stepped inside her room as he said, "Sorry, the door was unlocked and I wanted to make sure you were in. Also I was hoping for a- whoa." Brick's thoughts came to a halt as he saw Blossom's state of dishabille. Milky skin started from her shoulder where shiny curled locks landed and continued to the small of her back where her blue silk dress clung tightly to her voluptuous curves. At that moment, there wasn't anything more Brick wanted than to run his hands through her copper hair and leave a trail of kisses across her bare skin. The air grew considerably hotter.

"Zip me up?" she asked weakly before turning around, granting him a full view of her luscious backside.

Brick nodded slowly as he approached her, wryly noting how many times he'd helped attractive women _out _of their clothes. It wasn't often he helped ladies into them. Careful not to tempt himself by making contact with her porcelain skin, he tugged the zipper up.

Blossom wasn't any more comfortable. Brick loomed behind her, his warm breath hot on her neck. Once, his fingers touched her bare back and she let out a soft moan. Mortified, she hoped he hadn't heard. A few moment later, she was relieved to realize he hadn't.

But he had. Brick forced himself to ignore the alluring sound and he finished zipping, quickly stepping away. "There," he said, his voice pained.

Blossom slowly turned around and tried to flash him a big smile. It came out as feeble, "Thank you. Did you- Did you need anything?" she asked quizzically, still unsure why he had entered her apartment.

"Oh, that. I-uh-you-" the larger redhead stuttered awkwardly. Finally, he cleared his throat, "I was getting ready when I realized I had no idea how to tie a tie," he motioned to the navy blue silk tie draped around his broad shoulders, "I thought you could help," he was finally able to manage a smirk. "And then I figured we could carpool to the church. Save the planet and shit," he grinned.

Blossom couldn't suppress a smile. As she reached for his tie, she said, "That sounds perfect, Brick."

...

The ceremony went by flawlessly and before Blossom realized it, the reception had started and the blond couple was about to dance their very first dance as a married couple. The slow music came on as the two ascended the dance floor and she let out a tired, but satisfied smile.

"Drink?" a familiar, comforting voice approached her. The redhead didn't even have to turn around to know it was Brick, her soon to be ex-fake-boyfriend.

"Thanks," she took the flute of champagne and sent him a small smile. She returned her gaze back to the happy couple, hesitant to allow herself time alone with Brick. The wedding was over, and their ruse would be too soon. She needed to get used to the idea of things being the way they once were.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like Brick was about to give her that chance.

"Do you ever find yourself wanting that?" he murmured, taking a sip of the bubbling liquid, his gaze fixed on the blonds as well.

"Sometimes," Blossom whispered in response, rubbing her arms softly to fight the goosebumps that were creeping up on her. "But I don't think I'm cut out for that kind of relationship," she confessed.

Brick let out a harsh bark of laughter. It was clear he had had a lot to drink and Blossom felt herself grow uneasily maudlin. Why was he laughing at her? She narrowed her eyes.

"Geez, Bloss, don't look at me like that," he shook his head, "You're perfect. _Perfect_. You could have any guy you could possibly want. You could have what Boomer and Bubbles have if you weren't so damn closed off to the world."

Blossom felt herself shrinking at his words. Brick was right. She was cold and reserved, and would rather be lonely than put herself out there and live her life. She had tried that for the past two weeks with Brick and all it had brought her was the hurt of their inevitable separation.

She glowered. He had no right to talk to her like that, "You aren't my real boyfriend, Brick. So don't you dare say anything like that to me," she grit her teeth.

_What I would I give to be him, though, _he thought morosely. He drank some more alcohol, "You know it's true."

The petite redhead sighed, "I know," she conceded, giving in. She rested her head on her hands, her elbows on the table. She looked up at him, "So I guess things are going back to normal tomorrow, huh?" she smiled weakly.

"I don't think anything will ever be normal for me again," Brick muttered under his breath, but Blossom heard his words anyways.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously, a hint of hope in her voice.

"Shit, Blossom. It doesn't mean anything," he snapped, angry at himself for almost confessing his feelings to her. He knew he wasn't right for her and he didn't need to make things harder than they needed to be. Blossom immediately frowned at his outburst, her rose eyes falling downcast. Brick softened and was about to amend his earlier exclamation when-

"Oh, for God's sake, kiss her already!" an irritated voice called out.

The redheads immediately looked up, then around, and saw three middle-aged women staring at them, arms crossed. None of them looked especially happy.

"You two need to get over yourselves already," Aunt Femme said, exasperated.

"It doesn't matter who confesses their feelings first," Aunt Sara added gently. "As long as one of you does it," she added, suddenly giving Brick a stern look.

"I want some redheaded grand-nieces-or-nephews already!" Aunt Ima declared.

Brick and Blossom just stared at his three aunts, blinking owlishly as understanding dawned on them.

"You... knew...?" Brick asked incredulously.

"How...?" Blossom cocked her head to the side. She shook her head, then gave a feeble glance in Brick's direction, "You were right. Your aunts sure are something," she said, awe in her voice. The three grinned proudly.

Suddenly serious, Brick's smirk vanished. "They're right, you know..."

"Of course we're right!"

He ignored them and continued. He gazed at Blossom intensely, "I... I always thought you were too good for me, but after pretending to be your boyfriend, I don't think I there's anything I want more than the real thing," he confessed, looking into her glittering pink eyes.

"Brick," Blossom murmured, "I feel the same way. You make me come alive. I can't go back to my life without you in it," she whispered, her words heavy with emotion.

"Then don't. Let's do this for real now," Brick said softly, taking her dainty hands into his. He stepped out of his seat, put one knee on the ground and looked back up at Blossom with a smirk, "Now... How would you like to be my girlfriend?"

She burst out into a wide grin as he repeated the same words he used with her two weeks before, "I'd love to, Brick."

With that, he stood up, grabbed her by the waist and gave her the sizzling, passionate, ardent kiss he'd wanted to lay on her since the moment they started their charade.

They may have messed up on the_ true_ part of true love, but in the end, they had plenty of_ love_ to make up for it.

...

I hope you had as much fun reading that as I did writing! And I hope you leave me a review- the extra long, juicy ones give you special access to a sneak peek of my next update!

Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Contest Prizes!

**Author's Note:** I had a lot of fun with these prompts! They're a little on the short side, but I hope you enjoy them anyways.

On a side note, I had a reviewer point out that I only write the Reds as young adults and was surprised when I realized they were right! So I played around with their ages in these three little pieces. I thought it was pretty fun... I like writing the Reds in their twenties, but different ages is a blast too. Look forward to more of those in the future! Anyways, let me know what you think! :)

Also, if you get the chance, enter** marisa lee**'s contest! Write up a cute little oneshot over the prompt 'dreams' and you might win one of many fabulous prizes! Plus, aren't contests fun?

Did anyone notice my new image? If you were having a hard time figuring out what it is, I found a picture of strawberry cinnamon shortcake on Google. I thought it was fitting.

Anyhoo, enjoy!

* * *

**3rd Place: FuschiaFire's prize**

...

_"And this year's Homecoming Queen... Blossom Utonium!"_

Blossom gazed at her energetic subjects as they conquered the dance floor, taking a moment to straighten her sparkling silver tiara, making sure it hadn't disappeared during the evening's excitement. Last night's declaration still warmed her heart, especially since she had never envisioned herself as the queen of anything before. Her heart lurched as she recalled the other half of the announcement.

_"And the Homecoming King, none other than Brick Jojo!"_

She bit her lip, unsure of how to react to the news. Of course, the entire student body went ecstatic over the two redheads' victory, always rooting for a relationship between two of the most intelligent, charming and accomplished seniors at Townsville High, but Blossom didn't feel the same. Sure, she had had a secret crush on him for her entire high school career, but never once had he shown a hint of reciprocation. She sighed.

"Ready to dance?" a husky voice rumbled from behind her. Blossom frowned as he interrupted her thoughts, and she swiped the hopeful smile from her face to replace it with an icier exterior.

He led her to the emptying dance floor, his warm hands gripping the small of her back (a little too low if you asked her, not that she was complaining). Blossom just rested her hands on his shoulders, biting her lip as she wondered how many seconds were left in the slow song.

"I hate dances," Brick confessed, shaking his head. A boyish grin lit up his features and she couldn't resist smiling as they swayed to the beat.

"I never would have guessed, Homecoming King," she said wryly, raising an eyebrow. More comfortable, Blossom let her hands slide around his neck and she allowed herself to step closer.

"Yeah," Brick chuckled, but then turned serious. For a uncharacteristically soft moment, he whispered, "I'm glad you're the queen, Blossom."

She felt a blush crawl up her neck, "Me too," she murmured. Her gaze flitted down shyly for a second before looking back up at him, "Dances are nice, though. I like them," she stated defiantly, her chin up. She was literally an inch away from his stubbly chin now.

He smirked, "This one's not half bad. Save me another one for tonight?" he asked, looking down at her and bridging the distance between the two.

Blossom let out a small smile as he held onto her even once the song ended, "How about right now?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds perfect to me," he murmured.

* * *

**2nd place: NAWHdinosaurs' prize**

...

"You smell funny," a seven-year old Brick Jojo declared as he crossed his arms.

A seven-year old Blossom gasped, aghast and outraged at his statement, "Brick Jojo, you take that back! Or else... Or else..." She was too angry to complete the thought.

Even at a young age, the other redhead had mastered the art of smirking, "Or else what? We both know you'd never break the rules and fight at school."

The smaller redhead fumed, narrowing her eyes as he provoked her, "You're a big meanie!" she exclaimed, throwing her index finger two inches away from his chest. She hated resorting to puerile tactics, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"I know," he shrugged. "But that still doesn't change the fact that you smell funny."

"I do _not_! I smell like freshly picked strawberries _and _I bathe every day. Unlike some people," she sent him a cutting glare.

"Strawberries," Brick mumbled, his gaze turned away. "That's what it was." He looked back at her and grinned, "Bathing is for sissies."

"It is not!" Blossom exclaimed. Her lips formed a tight frown, "And I smell nice, for your information. You just stink!"

"I don't stink, Pinky," he narrowed his crimson eyes. "This is one-hundred percent man smell. I wouldn't expect a _girl_ to understand," his words dripping with disgust when he mentioned the opposite sex.

"Eww," the pink-eyed girl crinkled her nose. "You're gross. And you smell gross too!"

"Best thing about me, babe," the red-eyed boy grinned.

"I hate you, Brick," Blossom narrowed her eyes, though deep down she knew she didn't mean the words.

"The feeling's mutual," Brick replied, but he didn't either.

* * *

**1st place: amythist7's prize**

...

"Grandpa Brick, tell us a bedtime story!" a little redhead with two scarlet ribbons demanded as she held up a hardbound story book.

"Pwease, gwandpa?" a younger redhead with big crimson orbs added, looking up at her grandfather with wide eyes. She clutched a soft pink teddy bear close to her heart.

"Bedtimes stories are for wimps," the oldest child, a redheaded boy, grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Brick had to chuckle at their remarkable likeness. The three children were the splitting image of their grandmother Blossom, with milky skin, bright eyes and light auburn locks. The only trait they seemed to inherit from him was their striking scarlet eye color. They looked nothing like their mother, Brick's daughter-in-law, he noted wryly.

"Be nice to your sisters, kid," he gave a stern look at the boy who looked just like him fifty years ago. But then he smirked.

With that smirk, along with crimson eyes that still sparkled with mischief, a robust physique and copper hair only twinged with gray, he hardly looked the part of the doting grandfather, but he played it well.

"Just one story, alright?" he raised an eyebrow before plopping down on a bright pink bed. His three grandchildren scrambled beside him (one, albeit reluctantly) as he reached for the book. "Which one, kiddos?" he asked, flipping through its contents.

"This one!" the older girl proudly exclaimed, pointing to the first page of Hansel and Gretel.

Brick quickly scanned its contents and grinned, "Easy enough. And I don't even need the book," he tossed it aside and began his narration.

...

A long, long time ago -no really, this took place forever ago. They didn't even have cellphones or the internet back when this happened-, there were two friends named Bricksel and Blostel. Since those names are super weird, they just went by Brick and Blossom. They both had red hair and unusually colored eyes, but they weren't brother and sister or anything. That'd be weird. They were just friends. And they argued _a lot_.

One day, they decided to go on a walk through the forest for some reason. And for some reason, they had a piece of bread.

"We should leave a trail of crumbs so we find our way back," Blossom suggested.

"Or we could just eat the bread instead of leaving it for the dumb forest animals to have," Brick countered.

"And what if we get lost?" Blossom asked archly, placing a hand on her hip.

"It's better than being lost _and _hungry, which we will be if we give it to the animals," Brick replied, irritated.

They ended up arguing for a long time until some obnoxious white dog with a black nose and tail walked by and took it straight from them. The two friends were too shocked to react and the dumb dog walked away with the bread.

_"That's not how it goes, Grandpa!" _

Hey, I'm telling the story. And this version is way better than the one in your book.

_"Ooh, yay! Keep going, gwandpa!"_

If you insist. Alright, where was I? Oh right. They kept walking and walking and walking until they stumbled upon this gingerbread house. It was huge, and made of every type of candy you could ever imagine. The two were really hungry, so they ran to the house and started eating the gumdrop windowsill when-

_"Did they bwush theiw teeth after they ate all that candy?"_

Of course they did, kid. You know how important dental hygeine is. As I was saying, the owner of the house was not very happy to see their home being eaten by a bunch of strange redheads. He was about to report the two trespassers when a terrible idea came to his mind. He grinned.

"Oh, children?" a high, mellifluous voice called out. Brick and Blossom immediately turned to the door and-

_"What the hell does mellifluous mean?"_

Hey now, watch your language, kid. There's ladies around here. And it means sweet-sounding. Good SAT word to know. Back to the story.

"Why don't you darlings come inside?" the red witch with fluffy sleeves on his cloak suggested. "I was just about to make dinner," he said, his voice taking a more ominous turn.

Brick and Blossom were too hungry to notice the subtle change in the witch's demeanor, so they happily stepped inside without an argument. For once.

"What's your name?" Blossom asked as she looked around the cozy abode. There was a couch, a stove, and a... cage? She was confused.

"I'm HIM!" he chirped in response. But then his eyes grew dark and smiled sinisterly, "Your worst nightmare," he cackled.

"You don't look very scary," Brick commented.

HIM glowered, "Well, I am. And just to show you how terrible I am, I'm going to throw you into this cage and fatten you up!"

"It'll never work! I can never be anything but perfectly chiseled and in shape!" Brick cried from behind the bars.

Blossom looked at HIM, masking her fear.

"And then I'm going to cook you and eat you for dinner! Mwa ha ha!" he cackled.

"Let him go HIM," she demanded.

"Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin!" he replied perkily as he flipped on the stove and began chopping onions.

_"Wrong story, grandpa. There's no big bad wolf in here!"_

Oh, right. My bad. Anyways. Brick, who was trapped inside the cage, had found the lock and started to pick it. And Blossom, who was standing beside the evil witch, was trying to formulate a plan.

She always tried to be nice to people and teach the bad guys their lessons, but that day, she decided to mean. She pushed HIM onto the burning stove and he cried as the onions in his broth splashed up and got into his eyes, temporarily blinding him. At that moment, Brick finally broke the lock and the two ran out of the delicious, but dangerous, gingerbread house.

And then they all lived hap-

...

He paused when he realized each of the young redheads had succumbed to sleep.

"Well, looks like you enjoyed the story," Grandpa Brick murmured as he gingerly untangling himself from his three sleeping grandchildren.

He carefully tucked them in and giving each on a kiss on the brow, he wished them a good night.

He flicked the lights off, but before he softly shut the door, he whispered, "I love you kids."

* * *

I hope you liked those, winners and readers! :)


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